Record Number Of Bald Eagles Seen At Pa. Sanctuary

KEMPTON, Pa. (AP) – Birdwatchers in eastern Pennsylvania say they have seen a record number of American bald eagles so far this year during the annual migratory raptor bird count.

Officials at the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County say 310 bald eagles had been counted as of Monday. Keith Bildstein, conservation science director for the sanctuary, says he thinks another 50 could be added before the season ends Dec. 15.

Bildstein says the count has already broken the record of 255 set in 2008, the year after the bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list.

The sanctuary says hunting of eagles had reduced the population drastically before conservation efforts began in 1940, and misuse of pesticides then reduced the numbers further. The American bald eagle was declared endangered in 1967.